The Australian Government today unveiled its new immigration strategy, marking a significant change to its visa policy for migrant workers and international students. Home Secretary Clare O’Neil said in an interview with ABC Radio that the priority was to “make migration work for the nation” and reverse the “unsustainable” levels inherited from last year.
O’Neil stressed the urgency of achieving this goal “as quickly as possible,” noting that the current immigration system is “broken.” Measures taken by Anthony Albanese’s cabinet include stricter English tests for student visas and speeding up the issuance of visas for high earners. The minister claims these changes will protect the university sector and facilitate the arrival of people with “specialized skills”.
At the same time, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed concern about the “unsustainable” increase in migration in his country in a statement ahead of Australia’s announcement. Luxon noted that they are “inheriting a system that has been a complete disaster,” particularly after the country closed its borders during the pandemic and reopened them when the economy began to slow.
The New Zealand leader stressed the need to better manage infrastructure to support growth and review immigration policy to ensure it is “closely linked to New Zealand’s economic agenda”. Luxon stressed that migration must address labor shortages in a balanced way and avoid “opening the floodgates completely” without a clear connection to the country’s economic needs.
Both Pacific countries have taken bold steps to control and manage the flow of migrants in response to the challenges posed by the recent unprecedented influx. These decisions have significant implications for both international students and migrant workers and mark a major shift in the dynamics of the region.